Today's slot machines have parameters programmed into their code such as theme, percentage, denomination, lines bet, minimum bet, maximum bet, game run time, and the like. Changing any of these parameters requires new game code, regulatory approval for the code changes, physical movement of machines weighing hundreds of pounds and regulatory approval for the move and oversight.
Past methods of changing games on the floor have been manual in nature. As stated above, games and their associated gaming parameters are typically programmed into EPROMs (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) contained within the gaming machines. Accordingly, the changing of games (or modifying gaming parameters) requires the EPROMs to be changed. Such a procedure involves physically opening the gaming machines, erasing and reprogramming the code (EPROM), and re-sealing the EPROM if required by the regulatory jurisdiction. This also requires the entire game to be ‘re-optioned’ which is a long, error-prone manual process.
Furthermore, gaming machines have operated for the most part as stand-alone devices, at least with respect to non-progressive gaming. In this regard, while there may have existed some limited forms of communication or networking, fully-networked data and communication systems have not been traditionally implemented. One reason for this lack of fully-networked infrastructure is the difficulty in upgrading system infrastructure, due to the constant utilization of a gaming system, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. For this reason and others, gaming machines have typically been utilized as separate machines, which are swapped out or upgraded, but which generally operate autonomously. It would be desirable for gaming machines instead, to be utilized as components of a larger interactive and symphonious organizational arrangement. However, many obstacles have made such an arrangement difficult and unwieldy to visualize, let alone implement.
However, the lack of such a system deprives casino owners of both apparent and actual control over their gaming floors. Further, casino patrons are limited in the variety and selection of both games, and the gaming parameters within such games, that are available to them. These limitations are commonly due to the particularized nature and general lack of customization typically associated with individual gaming machines. In this regard, casino owners have become aware that by adding additional features to gaming machines, they may be able to maintain a player's attention to the gaming machines for longer periods of time. This, in turn, leads to the player wagering at the gaming machine for longer periods of time, thereby increasing casino profits.
One technique that has been employed to maintain a player's attention at the gaming machine has been to provide players with access to gambling-related information. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide the player with interactive access to the above information. This type of interactivity would allow players significantly more flexibility to make use of the above-described information. The gambling-related information could also be utilized by the player in a much more efficient manner. In this regard, greater levels of flexibility and access are likely to make a player remain and gamble at the gaming machine for significantly longer periods of time. Unfortunately, the system components that are currently utilized for displaying and accessing this type of information, such as external keypads and display modules, are extremely limited in the functionality and capabilities that they provide, thus limiting the success of their ability to maintain a player's attention.
As technology advances in the casino gaming environments, the network architecture is moving towards high-speed Ethernet networks (or other standard broadband protocol) that replace the previous serial networks and proprietary data acquisition systems. Often, the network architecture in these Ethernet gaming networks has a very controlled access layer environment. In this regard, sometimes the network architecture utilizes a layered network topology.
The first or top layer is typically referred to as the core layer, which is the backbone of the system. In this layer there are usually very robust and high-speed switches in a data center environment. These switches can process packets very rapidly. Preferably, only decisions relating to packet destination and packet transmission are made in the core layer.
The next layer, which connects to the core layer, is typically referred to as the distribution layer. The primary job of the distribution layer is aggregation and routing. Often this layer raises the network frames at OSI (Open System Interconnect) layer 2 to routable packets at OSI layer 3.
The base layer is typically referred to as the access layer. The access layer is the starting point for most traffic on the network. The access or workgroup layer connects users and devices. Important functions of the access layer include shared bandwidth, switched bandwidth, MAC-layer (Media Access Control layer) filtering, and micro segmentation. A MAC address refers to a hardware address that uniquely identifies a node of a network. The access layer is designed to pass traffic to the network for valid network users and to filter traffic that is passed along through the network. Typically, the access layer is the point at which end users are connected to the network. Additionally, the access layer provides the means to connect to the devices located in the distribution layer, as well as providing connections to both local and remote devices. Security and policy decisions are also made at the access layer since the access layer is the entry point to the network.
The prior data acquisition systems have typically been based on a proprietary network that utilized a serial protocol standard. While the data rates of such prior systems were relatively slow ((7.2 kbs) in comparison to even the slowest Ethernet speeds (10 Mbs)), these prior networks were single-use networks with the sole purpose of communicating the SDS (Slot Data Systems) information (or other similar game accounting information) to and from the floor.
An Ethernet network, having significantly more bandwidth, would typically be utilized as a shared network where the SDS (or other similar game accounting protocol) is only an application that runs on the network along with other applications and servers. Instead of controlling a proprietary network, a prior casino network might even be integrated into an existing casino Ethernet network.
Typically, the prior serial networks did not support many new technologies such as iView devices (i.e., player tracking user interface devices), System Gaming, and game downloads. Additional technologies are also likely to follow once more bandwidth is made available. With these new technologies, many of which are bandwidth-intensive, there is a growing need to ensure that SDS data (or other similar game accounting data) maintains precedence and consistently arrives at the SDS server without loosing data.
One relevant LAN (local-area network) technology is known as Quality of Service (QoS). This technology allows the network to place certain packets at a higher priority than other packets to ensure timely delivery. Normally, networks are “best effort” delivery. QoS adds in the ability to prioritize certain packets for a better and more controlled delivery. Typically, QoS is used is to ensure timely delivery of data in applications such as a Voice over IP network (VoIP). Instead of the “first-in-first-out,” best effort delivery of many shared networks, QoS ensures timely delivery of data with virtually no packet loss. Similarly, in the casino environment, game accounting data also requires that data packets are delivered in a timely fashion with no packet loss.
Referring again to VoIP, since VoIP data (and now streaming video, video conferencing, and the like) is very sensitive to network delay, under QoS the VoIP packets are given a priority that places the VoIP packets into a high priority queue. The high priority queue is serviced until empty while other less sensitive data waits in another lower priority queue or queues. Since technologies like VoIP are industry standards, most switches recognize them and supply a QoS designation to ensure that VoIP packets take precedence in any communication stream.
Referring again to an access layer of a layered network, it is beneficial to make policy decisions at the access layer because this is usually the “ingress level.” The ingress level is the point in the system where packets enter the network. Accordingly, this is a timely point at which to examine the packets and make policy decisions based on the packet information.
Typically, there are two ways to prioritize data packets using QoS. Using one technique, a QoS aware access switch uses the port location on the switch to indicate in which port the high priority is located. However, in this scenario, there is nothing to stop personnel from either accidentally or intentionally moving the plug to a different port location, thus giving whatever is plugged into the high priority port the highest priority, and giving the intended high priority data the lower priority. This could possibly lead to packet loss of the intended high priority data.
Another technique to supply the QoS information uses a non-controlled device but encodes the QoS code into the IP packets of the intended high priority data. This technique provides the right encoding, but is required to be performed in a Controlled Access environment. The problem with using a non-controlled device stems from the potential for a third party to program their game (or other device) to download packets with a high priority QoS code, thus making this game compete for bandwidth with the intended high priority data. Even if the access switch has the capabilities to filter and change the QoS information, this functionality is typically related to the port location, and thus, involves the same problems noted above. While some high-end switches offer a QoS filter for MAC addresses (the internal address of the Ethernet port), this type of filtering presents significant problems and is difficult to administer.
Accordingly, there exists a continuing need for a system or method for non-industry standard IP communication to be labeled for high quality delivery. The preferred embodiments of the system and method described herein clearly address these and other needs.